| article: CCD and CMOS camera list for matching an astronomical CCD camera to a telescope |
Field of View (FOV)
The FOV determines which sky objects fit on the chip and in which size it will appear.
It is given in minutes of arc for the x dimension (width) of the camera. One degree has 60 minutes of arc.
It can only be calculated together with the focal length of the telescope.
Remember that you can easily increase the focal length with positive projection at the cost of aperture speed.
Because of back focus issues reducing the focal length is harder. The use of focal reducers is only possible with SCT telescopes
and some refractors.
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Wide Angle More than 60 arc min, e.g. Constellations, the big objects (M42, M31, M45), Comets |
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Deep Sky 5 to arc 60 min, Nebula, bigger Galaxies, Star Clusters, bigger Planetary Nebula |
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High Resolution smaller than 5 arc min , Planets, small Galaxies, Planetary Nebula |
| | | Tele Lenses | FS60C | 10" f/4 | 10" f/6 | C8 | C11 | C14 | | Focal Length | [mm] | 50 | 135 | 355 | 1008 | 1512 | 2032 | 2800 | 3910 | | SBIG | SBIG STL 11000XM | 2480 | 918 | 349 | 123 | 82 | 61 | 44 | 31 | | Apogee | AP9E NABG | 1901 | 704 | 267 | 94 | 62 | 46 | 33 | 24 | | SBIG | ST-1001E | 1689 | 625 | 238 | 83 | 55 | 41 | 30 | 21 | | Finger Lakes | IMG1024S | 1689 | 625 | 238 | 83 | 55 | 41 | 30 | 21 | | Apogee | AP8p NABG | 1689 | 625 | 238 | 83 | 55 | 41 | 30 | 21 | | Apogee | AP6E NABG | 1689 | 625 | 238 | 83 | 55 | 41 | 30 | 21 | | Canon | EOS 20D | 1566 | 580 | 220 | 77 | 51 | 38 | 27 | 20 | | Canon | EOS 10D / 300D | 1499 | 555 | 211 | 74 | 49 | 36 | 26 | 19 | | Apogee | AP4 NABG | 1267 | 469 | 178 | 62 | 41 | 31 | 22 | 16 | | Apogee | AP32ME NABG | 1021 | 378 | 143 | 50 | 33 | 25 | 18 | 13 | | SBIG | ST-10XME NABG | 1021 | 378 | 143 | 50 | 33 | 25 | 18 | 13 | | Apogee | AP2E NABG | 950 | 352 | 133 | 47 | 31 | 23 | 16 | 12 | | Apogee | AP2E ABG | 950 | 352 | 133 | 47 | 31 | 23 | 16 | 12 | | SBIG | ST-8E NABG | 946 | 350 | 133 | 46 | 31 | 23 | 16 | 12 | | SBIG | ST-8E ABG | 946 | 350 | 133 | 46 | 31 | 23 | 16 | 12 | | Apogee | AP47P NABG | 915 | 339 | 128 | 45 | 30 | 22 | 16 | 11 | | SBIG | ST-2000XM ABG | 814 | 301 | 114 | 40 | 26 | 20 | 14 | 10 | | SBIG | ST-9E | 704 | 260 | 99 | 34 | 23 | 17 | 12 | 9 | | SBIG | ST-9E | 704 | 260 | 99 | 34 | 23 | 17 | 12 | 9 | | Starlight XPress | SXV-H9 | 617 | 228 | 86 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 7 | | Starlight XPress | MX916 | 599 | 222 | 84 | 29 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 7 | | Starlight XPress | HX916 | 598 | 221 | 84 | 29 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 7 | | Starlight XPress | SXV-MX8C | 496 | 183 | 69 | 24 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 6 | | Apogee | AP1E NABG | 475 | 176 | 66 | 23 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 6 | | SBIG | ST-7E ABG | 473 | 175 | 66 | 23 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 6 | | SBIG | ST-7E NABG | 473 | 175 | 66 | 23 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 6 | | Starlight XPress | MX7C | 444 | 164 | 62 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 5 | | SAC CCD Imaging Systems | SAC8 | 422 | 156 | 59 | 20 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 5 | | Starlight XPress | MX516 | 336 | 124 | 47 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 4 | | Starlight XPress | MX516C | 336 | 124 | 47 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 4 | | Starlight XPress | HX516 | 335 | 124 | 47 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 4 | | Lisää | ICX084AL | 335 | 124 | 47 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 4 | | Lisää | ICX084AK Color | 335 | 124 | 47 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 4 | | G. Fischer | Nova237 | 334 | 124 | 47 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 4 | | SBIG | ST-237A | 334 | 123 | 47 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 4 | | Phillips | ToUCam Pro PCVC 740K | 246 | 91 | 34 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | | SBIG | ST-5C | 220 | 81 | 30 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | | SBIG | ST-4 | 181 | 67 | 25 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
Formula: FOV [min] = 3438 * chip size in X [mm] / focal length [mm]
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By clicking here you can take a look at the size of most interesting Sky Objects.
Image Resolution
The image resolution determines the amount of detail recorded in the image.
It is given in seconds of arc in the x dimension (width) of the camera. One minute has 60 seconds of arc.
It can only be calculated together with the focal length of the telescope.
Remember that you can easily increase the focal length with positive projection at the cost of aperture speed.
Because of back focus issues reducing the focal length is harder. The use of focal reducers is only possible with SCT telescopes and some refractors.
According to Nyquist Theorem the CCD resolution must be 2 times of the smallest detail to be recorded with minimum error.
When you want to record 1 arc sec details you have to have 0.5 arc sec of resolution for every pixel of the CCD camera.
You should take diagonal of a pixel to calculate that not just the width.
The CCD camera's pixel resolution should not be better than twice the resolution of the atmosphere (seeing) and the resolution of the telescope
(Rayleigh, Dawes, Sparrow).
Click here to see why one-shot-colour cameras are listed with twice of their pixel size and half of their resolution .
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Wide Angle More than 10 arc sec per pixel, for all seeing conditions |
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Deep Sky to 5 arc secs per pixel, for average seeing conditions |
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Deep Sky to 1 arc secs per pixel, for better seeing conditions |
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High Resolution better than 1 arc secs per pixel, for best seeing conditions |
| | | Tele Lenses | FS60C | 10" f/4 | 10" f/6 | C8 | C11 | C14 | | Focal Length | [mm] | 50 | 135 | 355 | 1008 | 1512 | 2032 | 2800 | 3910 | | Phillips | ToUCam Pro PCVC 740K | 23.1 | 8.6 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | | Starlight XPress | SXV-MX8C | 25.8 | 9.5 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | | Starlight XPress | SXV-H9 | 26.6 | 9.9 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.3 | | Canon | EOS 20D | 26.8 | 9.9 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.3 | | Starlight XPress | HX916 | 27.6 | 10.2 | 3.9 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | | Apogee | AP32ME NABG | 28.1 | 10.4 | 4.0 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | | SBIG | ST-10XME NABG | 28.1 | 10.4 | 4.0 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | | Canon | EOS 10D / 300D | 29.3 | 10.8 | 4.1 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | | Starlight XPress | HX516 | 30.5 | 11.3 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | | SBIG | ST-237A | 30.5 | 11.3 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | | SBIG | ST-2000XM ABG | 30.5 | 11.3 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | | Lisää | ICX084AL | 30.5 | 11.3 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | | Lisää | ICX084AK Color | 30.5 | 11.3 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | | G. Fischer | Nova237 | 30.5 | 11.3 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | | Starlight XPress | MX7C | 35.5 | 13.1 | 5.0 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.5 | | SBIG | ST-8E NABG | 37.1 | 13.8 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | SBIG | ST-8E ABG | 37.1 | 13.8 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | SBIG | ST-7E ABG | 37.1 | 13.8 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | SBIG | ST-7E NABG | 37.1 | 13.8 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | Apogee | AP4 NABG | 37.1 | 13.8 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | Apogee | AP9E NABG | 37.1 | 13.8 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | Apogee | AP1E NABG | 37.1 | 13.8 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | Apogee | AP2E NABG | 37.1 | 13.8 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | Apogee | AP2E ABG | 37.1 | 13.8 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | SBIG | SBIG STL 11000XM | 37.1 | 13.8 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | SAC CCD Imaging Systems | SAC8 | 39.6 | 14.7 | 5.6 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | Starlight XPress | MX516 | 40.4 | 15.0 | 5.7 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | Starlight XPress | MX516C | 40.4 | 15.0 | 5.7 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | SBIG | ST-5C | 41.3 | 15.3 | 5.8 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | | Starlight XPress | MX916 | 47.9 | 17.7 | 6.7 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.6 | | Apogee | AP47P NABG | 53.6 | 19.9 | 7.6 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | | SBIG | ST-4 | 56.7 | 21.0 | 8.0 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.7 | | SBIG | ST-9E | 82.5 | 30.6 | 11.6 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.1 | | SBIG | ST-9E | 82.5 | 30.6 | 11.6 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.1 | | SBIG | ST-1001E | 99.0 | 36.7 | 13.9 | 4.9 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 | | Finger Lakes | IMG1024S | 99.0 | 36.7 | 13.9 | 4.9 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 | | Apogee | AP8p NABG | 99.0 | 36.7 | 13.9 | 4.9 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 | | Apogee | AP6E NABG | 99.0 | 36.7 | 13.9 | 4.9 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
Formula: res [arc sec/pixel] = 206,265 * pixel size [mym] / focal length [mm]
1 mym = 0.001 mm
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For a sortable comparison chart of the basic data for these CCD cameras click here:
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